Canadian diplomats in the Middle East recognized the Islamic State as a threat to the region and started working to keep it from moving into Iraq and Jordan a year before the U.S., Canada and other allies went to war against the militant group. But nobody predicted how strong ISIL was, or how fast it would move.

In an exclusive interview with the Citizen, a senior Canadian diplomat on the ground has revealed how officials took steps to prevent ISIL from “preying” on disenfranchised Sunni Muslims in Iraq months before the militant group sent shock waves around the world by capturing the city of Mosul in June 2014.

The diplomat, who was interviewed on condition of anonymity and with the government’s permission, also explained how Canada is looking to Jordan’s King Abdullah II as a “champion” for moderation and inclusiveness in the Arab world, which many analysts say is critical to long-term stability in the region.

It’s the first time the Department of Foreign Affairs has pulled back the curtain to explain the role Canada’s non-military officials are playing in the fight against ISIL, as well as broader efforts to bring peace to Iraq and the broader Middle East.

ISIL grew out of al-Qaida in Iraq to become its own entity in April 2013. It became a sizable presence in Syria by using the chaos of that country’s civil war to carve out territory and establish a stronghold and national capital in Raqqa, in northern Syria.

For the past six months, Canadian commandos have helped Kurdish forces fight ISIL in northern Iraq while Canadian warplanes have been dropping bombs from the sky. But the senior diplomat said envoys on the ground actually began to take notice of ISIL in the late summer and early fall of 2013.

In particular, they were worried the militant group would spread into Iraq and onward into Jordan by finding support among Sunni Muslims persecuted by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and who felt ignored by the Shia-dominated government in Baghdad. Those fears would turn out to be correct.

With Syria in flames, the Canadian focus turned to Iraq. Except ties with Iraq were relatively undeveloped. Canada had ended most aid projects with the U.S. military pullout three years earlier, and while a new diplomatic mission had been opened in Baghdad, contacts were minimal.

Over the next few months, Canada ramped up its presence in Iraq. It opened visa offices in Baghdad and in Erbil, capital of the Kurds’ semi-autonomous region. There were ministerial visits, efforts to promote federalism, and in June 2014, Iraq was named one of Canada’s development partners.

The senior diplomat said a number of priorities were identified, including professionalizing the civil service in Baghdad to stamp out corruption and strengthen the government’s resilience, decentralizing power to ensure benefits flowed to all Iraqis, and pushing economic development.

As for a broader regional effort, the diplomat said Canada has thrown its full support behind Abdullah, whom he described as a “champion of peace, a champion of religious freedom in the whole area,” and someone Canada believes can help to bridge cultural and religious divides.

“For change to happen, you need to have a champion,” the diplomat said. “He’s doing a fantastic job of it, and we are fully engaged in Jordan.”

But such efforts take time, and no one anticipated how fast ISIL would move. Days after Iraq became a development partner, ISIL captured Mosul and Tikrit and catapulted into the limelight. Canada’s ambassador to Iraq and Jordan, Bruno Saccomani, was touring Canadian companies to promote Iraq at the time.

In a briefing to opposition MPs last week, Foreign Affairs officials said good governance and an inclusive society “in which people have equal opportunities and rights, regardless of their religious or ethnic background,” were the “best weapon” against ISIL.

The comments spoke directly to the issues identified by Canadian diplomats before ISIL captured a large swath of territory in Iraq, prompting international military action.

The Foreign Affairs officials also said reconciliation will be needed over the long term, alluding to the concerns that ISIL has exacerbated the Sunni-Shia divide within Iraq. Taking a step back, they also called for a “supportive regional environment” where Iraq’s neighbours support reconciliation and inclusiveness.

The senior diplomat said Canada continues to push these issues and that there has been some progress. New Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Adabi, for example, has made progress on sharing power among the country’s various ethnic and religious groups. Canada is also looking at fixing schools in Iraq.

Yet the long-term development program originally envisioned before ISIL captured Mosul is still a work in progress. The diplomat said the immediate focus is helping the millions of Iraqis and Syrians displaced by ISIL. Key to that, he added, is security, which is where Canada’s military contribution is helping.

At the same time, Canada along with its Western allies has thrown most of its humanitarian and military aid behind the Kurds in northern Iraq. The Iranians, meanwhile, have been supporting the Shiite population. With Sunnis living in most of the territory under ISIL control, the fear is that sectarian divisions are being made worse rather than better.

Canadian aid in the fight against ISIL

While the Conservative government is planning to extend and expand Canada’s military mission against ISIL, some have questioned why it isn’t also ramping up efforts to help the millions of Iraqis and Syrian affected by the crisis. The government has said Canada is among the most generous donors, and that more will come. But aid organizations say there is an immediate need. Here’s a look at some of the numbers (all figures U.S.):

2.5 million

People forced to flee their homes by ISIL

$2.23 billion

Amount requested in December to help Iraqis affected by ISIL over the coming year

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